Improvement in feather-renovators



R.- HOOVER. Feather Renovator.

No. 202,030. Patented April 2, 1878.

v INVENTOR ATTORNEY N PETERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASIHINGTON. D: C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REUBEN HOOVER, OF BOONESBOROU GH, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FEATHER-RENQVATO RS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 202,030, dated April2,1878; application filed December 29, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN HOOVER, 'of Boonesborough, in the county ofBoone and State of Iowa, have invented anew and valuable Improvement inHot-Air-Blast Feather- Renovators; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the constructionand operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings,making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures ofreference marked there- Figure l of the drawings is a representation ofa longitudinal vertical section of my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectionalview of the renovator, and Fig. 3 is a side view of the heat and steamgenerator.

This invention has relation to improvements in feather-renovatorswherein steam is employed as the cleansing medium.

The object of the invention is to so warm and dry the feathers in therenovator previous to steaming that there will be comparatively butlittle condensation of steam therein, and yet obtain a perfect cleansingof its contents.

The nature of my invention consists in combining with arenovating-vessel a heater provided with a central fire-box, asurrounding steam-generator, and an air-space, the said boiler andair-space being connected to the vessel. by means of suitable pipes, andthe airspace with a suitable blowing device, as will be hereinafter morefully set forth.

In the annexed drawings, the letter A designates a cylindrical metallicvessel, formed of two sections, a a, removably secured together, andresting upon a metallic chest, B, having communication with the interiorof the vessel A by means of spaced perforations through the lowerportion of the section a. Inside of this cylinder is mounted, insuitable bearings, an agitating-wheel, C, the function of which is toraise and lighten up the feath-, ers, and which is given rotary motionthrough a crank-arm, a system of gear-wheels or pulleys, and an endlessbelt driven by a suitable motor.

The section a has two or more opposite openings, closed at pleasure bymetallic slides,

pipe, H, provided with a suitable cut-off, d,

and is provided with the usual safety-valve. The air-chamber is alsoconnected with the said chest by a pipe, e, having a suitable valve orcut-off, and with the case of a blowing-engine, J, by means of theconduit L.

The blower is composed of acylindrical case, m, and a rotary fan, a,journaled therein, and actuated by a suitable motor at any desiredspeed.

The fire is built in the central flue g of the generator, the productsof combustion passing out at its rear end through a stack, h, and thesuperheated steam collects in the space 0 and dome G, at the same timeraising the air in the chamber b to a very high temperature.

The renovator being charged with feathers, the cut-offs of the hot-airpipe and of the steampipe being closed, the blower is set in motion andthe said hot-air pipe opened,when a strong current or blast of hot airwill be driven into the chest B and pass into the renovator, penetrating and permeating every part thereof, and effectually drying and warmingits contents. This being accomplished, the blower is stopped, the hotair shut off, and steam admitted through pipe Hinto the renovator, theagitating-wheel being in motion.

, The contents of the renovator being dry and warm, very little of thesteam is condensed, and the feathers are effectually cleansed andrendered crisp and fresh.

After the steaming is over, I may again turn on the hot-air blast, if Iso elect, to complete the drying.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

"ing connected to the vessel A by means of suitable pipes, and theair-space D with a suitable blowing device, the whole constructed andarranged to operate substantially as specifie-d.

In testimonythat I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name inthe presence of two witnesses.

REUBEN HOOVER.

Witnesses LEWIS A. GRoFF, J. M. ANDERSON.

